Both passenger vans and cargo vans are known in the art. Passenger vans typically have side rear windows located at the opposing rear quarters of the van so that passengers in the van can see outside of the vehicle during travel and the like. On the other hand, cargo vans are similar to passenger vans in many respects, except that they do not include the side rear windows on the opposing rear quarters. Since cargo vans are often used for commercial purposes (e.g., hauling supplies such as paint, ladders, tools, and the like), the rear quarters of such vans are typically solid metal and the aforesaid windows are not provided due to the potential for breakage.
Unfortunately, similar passenger vans and cargo vans have in the past required vastly different frames due to the requirement in one type van for window(s) in a given location(s) (passenger van), and the need in the other type van for non-window structure(s) in the same location(s). In particular, passenger van frames have been provided with window frame opening(s) at the rear quarter(s) of the vehicle, whereas cargo van frames have not been provided with such window frame opening(s) since no side rear windows are provided therein. The necessity of using vastly different frames (e.g., one with window frame openings and the other without such window frame openings) is sometimes burdensome with respect to cost, assembly line procedures, and/or the like.
Accordingly, in certain example embodiments of this invention a single type of vehicle frame may be used for both passenger vans and cargo vans (or other vehicle types in other embodiments). The type of vehicle frame which may be used for both passenger and cargo vans includes window frame opening(s) at the rear quarter area(s) thereof on at least one side, even though only one of the van types (i.e., the passenger van) uses a window(s) at this location(s). The frames for both the passenger and cargo vans need not be the same in all respects, but they are similar in that both include window frame opening(s) at certain area(s) thereof. In making passenger vans, the window frame opening(s) are filled with windows in a known manner. On the other hand, when making cargo vans, one or more of the window frame openings is filled with an opaque colored polymer based insert which is of a color(s) which substantially matches and/or complements the exterior color(s) of the vehicle. By designing window frame opening(s) to accept both windows and opaque colored polymer based inserts, respectively, a single frame type can be used for different vehicle types which can reduce costs and/or assembly line burdens in the process of vehicle manufacture.
Expansion and contraction due to temperature changes is not a significant problem with respect to glass windows attached to metal (e.g., steel) vehicle frames, because the thermal coefficients of expansion/contraction of glass and steel are not that different. On the other hand, the thermal coefficients of expansion/contraction of the aforesaid polymer based inserts and the metal vehicle window frames in which they are mounted are significantly different. In particular, the plastic of the polymer based inserts expands much more than does the metal frame (e.g., of steel or the like) upon significant increases in temperature, and thus contracts much more than the metal frame upon significant decreases in temperature.
It has unfortunately been found that if the aforesaid opaque colored polymer based inserts are attached to the metal window frames in the same manner that glass windows are attached to the window frames (i.e., with only fixed stud attachments), the thermal expansion/contraction of the inserts will cause the fixed stud attachments to shear off (i.e., break) thereby causing system failure.
In view of the above, in certain example embodiments of this invention, special attachment members have been designed so as to allow at least part of the attachment(s) to slide relative to the opaque colored polymer based insert to which it is mounted. In certain embodiments, an attachment member is designed with a slidable stud support which is adapted to slide in at least one direction relative to the insert to which it is mounted.
In certain example embodiments of this invention, the slidable stud support comprises at least one sacrificial member (e.g., tab, pin, or the like) which is adapted to prevent significant movement of the support relative to the insert when the support and stud are originally attached to the insert. Thereafter, the sacrificial member(s) is adapted to break off upon significant thermal expansion and/or contraction. The breaking off of the sacrificial member(s) enables the stud to thereafter slide in at least one direction relative to the insert to which it is mounted, thereby enabling the insert to slide in at least one direction relative to the metal frame to which it is mounted so as to prevent or reduce system failures due to temperature changes.
In certain example embodiments of this invention, there is provided a method of making first and second types of vehicles, the method comprising: providing a vehicle frame member that is useable in both the first and second types of vehicle, the frame member including at least one flange portion for receiving either a window or an opaque colored polymer based insert; determining whether the vehicle to be made is to be the first type of vehicle or the second type of vehicle; when the vehicle to be made is to be the first type of vehicle, attaching the window to the frame member; and when the vehicle to be made is to be the second type of vehicle, attaching the opaque colored polymer based insert to the frame member.
In other example embodiments of this invention, there is provided a vehicle comprising: a frame member; an opaque colored polymer based insert attached to the frame member via at least one attachment member; and wherein said attachment member allows the opaque colored polymer based insert to slide in at least one direction relative to the frame member after the insert has been attached to the frame member.
In other example embodiments of this invention, there is provided an attachment member for attaching a component to a frame member of a vehicle, the attachment member comprising: a base support member defining at least one channel, the base support member adapted to be mounted on the component; a slider adapted to slide in a first direction of said channel; and a stud support member which supports an attachment stud to be received by the frame member of the vehicle, wherein the stud support member is adapted to slide on the slider in a second direction which is different than the first direction to that the attachment member is adapted to allow the component to slide in at least first and second directions relative to the frame member; and wherein at least part of the slider is located between the base support member and the stud support member.
In other example embodiments of this invention, there is provided an attachment member for attaching a component to a frame member of a vehicle in a manner such that after being attached to the frame member the component is able to slide in at least one direction relative to the frame member, the attachment member comprising: a base support member adapted to be mounted on the component; and sacrificial means, including at least one sacrificial member, for breaking off after the component has been attached to the frame member via the attachment member, so that the component is able to slide to a greater extent in the at least one direction relative to the frame member after the sacrificial member has broken off than before the sacrificial member breaks off.
In still other example embodiments of this invention, there is provided an attachment member for attaching a component to a frame member of a vehicle in a manner such that after being attached to the frame member the component is able to slide in at least one direction relative to the frame member, the attachment member comprising: a base portion adapted to be mounted on the component; and first and second spring biased angled members operatively connected to the base portion, a support portion connected to the spring biased angled members, and wherein a portion of the frame member is to be slidably received between: (a) distal ends of the spring biased angled members, and (b) the support portion.